Kasey saw an exhibit made up of walnuts. Here is a picture of a walnut. Looking at this picture, can you tell if this walnut has line symmetry or rotational symmetry?

Do you know the difference?

This Concept will teach you all about the different types of symmetry. You will know how to answer these questions by the end of the Concept.

Guidance

We have mentioned that reflected figures are symmetrical, and that the line that acts as a mirror is called the
line of symmetry.

Symmetry
means that when we divide a figure in half, the halves are congruent.
In other words, a figure is symmetric if its outlines mirror each other.

Look at the figure below. Imagine you can fold it in half. When you fold it, do the outlines of each half match? They do, so this figure has symmetry.

When we “unfold” the figure, we have two congruent halves.
The “fold” line is the line of symmetry.
It divides the figure into halves that the two haves are mirror images of each other! Every part on one half “mirrors” or corresponds to a part on the other half.

Now let’s try another figure. Can we fold it perfectly in half?

We can try to fold this figure a bunch of different ways, but it does not have a line of symmetry.

Rotational symmetry
is a different kind of symmetry. It means that when we rotate a figure, the figure appears to stay the same. The outlines do not change even as the figure turns.
Look at the figure below.

We can tell the figure has been rotated because the dot moves clockwise. However, the outlines of the figure have not changed. This figure has rotational symmetry because every time we turn it, one of the arms of the star always faces up.

The figure below, on the other hand, does not have rotational symmetry. Can you see why?

No matter how we work with this figure it will look different each time it is rotated. Therefore, we know that it does not have rotational symmetry.

Does each of the following figures have line symmetry, rotational symmetry, both, or neither?

Example A

Cross

Solution: Line Symmetry

Example B

Arrow

Solution: Neither

Example C

Quadrilateral

Solution: Line Symmetry

Here is the original problem once again.

Kasey saw an exhibit made up of walnuts. Here is a picture of a walnut. Looking at this picture, can you tell if this walnut has line symmetry or rotational symmetry?

Do you know the difference?

Line symmetry involves dividing a figure in halves. You can split a figure horizontally, vertically or on the diagonals and one half is a mirror image of the other half.

This walnut does have one vertical line of symmetry. You can only divide it in half vertically and have it create a mirror image.

The walnut does not have rotational symmetry. If you turn the walnut, then the view and image of the walnut is different.

The answer is line symmetry.

Vocabulary

Rotation

a turn. The figure turns either clockwise or counterclockwise.

Line of Symmetry

the line that a figure reflects over. Also the line that divided a figure in half showing line symmetry.

Rotational Symmetry

the way a figure looks does not change no matter how you rotate it.

Symmetry

a figure that can be divided into two congruent halves is said to have symmetry.

Guided Practice

Here is one for you to try on your own.

Does this figure have line symmetry, rotational symmetry, both or neither.

Answer

This figure has line symmetry. Take a look.

When we can divide a figure or an object into two even matching halves, we say that the figure has
line symmetry
.

This figure can be divided in one way, vertically. If we tried to divide it horizontally, the two sides would not match.